Casing support assembly



June 8, 1965 c. B. HINRICHS 3,188,037

CASING SUPPORT ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q 7 jig-3 4a m 40 Filed April 18, 1963 98 54 4 0 /0 Q 92 /06 A 50, I 2? ML 76 78 L- 44 90 64 I: 74 /056 INYENTQR 34 Car/ 5 Mnr/c/As United States Patent 3,188,037 CASING SUPPORT ASSEMBLY .Carl B. Himichs, Charlotte, Mich, assignor to Structural Products, Inc, Charlotte, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 273,874 Claims. (Cl. 248-223) This invention relates to a casing support assembly and is more particularly directed to a casing support assembly for removably mounting casings, such as shelves, cabinets and the like, to structural support members, such as poles.

Difficulty has been encountered in the design of casing support assemblies for mounting cabinets and the like to structural support poles. Generally, the cabinet is one subassembly in an assembly which is to be mounted to structural support members, such as a pair of spaced poles, which extend and are held between the floor and ceiling of a room. For example, such poles are employed as room dividers, the poles carrying therebetween shelving, bookcases, cabinets and the like.

The problems encountered in mounting such casings, such as a cabinet, to poles and the like include that of providing a rigid support mounting for the casing, of preventing undesirable movement of the casing between the support members, of providing an easily assembled and disassembled support assembly for mounting the casing to the poles, of providing an assembly which can be quickly and easily connected and disconnected for assembly and removal of the cabinet, of providing a casing support assembly which has a small number of interconnecting parts, of providing a support assembly for a cabinet which is properly masked by the cabinet to prevent the presentation of unpleasant appearance, of providing a cabinet support assembly that can be installed or removed from the remainder of the system, and of providing a cabinet support assembly which can be adjusted to position the cabinet properly, after the cabinet has been installed.

The aforementioned problems and difficulties of the prior art, among others, are substantially overcome with the present invention by the provision of a casing support assembly including a bracket mountable to a support structure, such as a pole, and a hook device mountable to a wall of the cabinet, the hook device being hooked to the bracket to mount the cabinet to the pole.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved casing support assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a casing support assembly for mounting cabinets and the like to structure support members, such as poles.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a casing support assembly which will rigidly support the casing and prevent undesirable movement of the casing when mounted to poles and the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a casing support assembly for cabinets and the like which permits easy assembly and disassembly of the cabinet from structural support members, such as poles.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a casing support assembly for cabinets and the like which has a minimum number of parts employed to mount the casing to structural support members, such as poles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a casing support structure for mounting cabinets and the like to structural support members, such as poles, which are masked from view to thereby present a pleasing appearance to the cabinet mounting.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a casing support assembly for mounting cabinets and the like as part of a display system to structural support members, such as poles, whereby the cabinet can be re- 3,188,037 Patented June 8, 1965 moved from the poles without requiring partial or full removal of the remaining elements of said system.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a casing support assembly for mounting cabinets and the like to structural support members, such as poles, which permit plumbing of the cabinet after installation thereof to said poles.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from a careful consideration of the following detailed description, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention, wherein like reference numerals and characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view in partial section of a cabinet mounted to structural support members in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and broken to facilitate illustration;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the bracket and hook member, the bracket being shown in partial section;

, FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in partial section illustrating the manner in which the bracket and hook member are secured;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially broken to illustrate the mounting means carried by the bracket to secure the bracket to the pole, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section illustrating the versatility of the casing mounting assembly which permits mounting of two cabinets to a single pole.

Although the present invention has a variety of applications, a suitable embodiment thereof is disclosed in FIG. 1 for mounting a cabinet, generally indicated by the numeral 8, between and to a pair of vertical structural sup-' port members, such as poles 10 and 12. The poles '10 and 12, it will be observed, are supported vertically by engagement with the ceiling 14 and floor 16 of a room 18.

The cabinet 8 is mounted to the poles 1t) and 12 by a plurality of casing support assemblies constructed in accordance with the present invention. The cabinet 8 is mounted to the pole 10 by a pair of spaced casing support assemblies, generally indicated by the numerals 20 and 22, and mounted to the pole 12 by a pair of spaced casing support assemblies 24 and 26. The support assemblies 21!, 22, 24 and 26 are identical in construction and, thus, the

casing support assembly of the presentinvention is versadisclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Referring to FIG. 2, the structural poles 10 and 12, each include a pair of opposite channels 33 and 40 running longitudinally of the poles which communicate with slots 42 and 44, respectively. The slots 42 and 44 are formed by inturned end flanges 46, 48, 50 and '52. In addition, each of the poles 10 or 12 have si-de'channels 54 and 56 which are masked by masking strips 58 and 60 carried by the poles '10 and "12.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the casing support assemblies, constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and indicated by the numerals 20, 22, 24 or 26 in FIG. 1 for mounting the cabinet 8 to the poles 10 and 12, comprises two parts, a bracket, generally'indicated by the numeral 62, and a hook device, generally indicate-d by the numeral 64.

The bracket 62. will first be described. The bracket 62 comprises a body portion 68 (FIGS. 2 and which is generally rectangular in shape. The body portion 68 carries at one side thereof radial side flanges 70 and 72 and an upwardly extending third flange '74. At its side opposite these flanges, the body portion 68 carries complementary side flanges '76 and 78 and a top flange 80. Flanges 70, '72 and '76 and 78 define with the body portion 68 side channels 82 and 84 (FIG. 2). The flanges 74 and 80 define 'a third channel 86 adjacent the top of the bracket which is in comunication with the channels 82 and 84 for purposes more fully disclosed hereinafter.

Extending from the surface of the flanges 76 and 78 is means for mounting the bracket to a structural support member, such as member (:FIG. *2). The bracket mounting means comprises a projection 90 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which is of the same area dimension as the body portion 68 and which carries a boss 92 sized to fit in the slot 44 as shown in FIG. 2.

Extending through each of the brackets 62 are a pair of spaced .and threaded bolts 94 and 96. Each of the bolts 94 and 96 carry an arm, arms 98 and 102, respectively. These arms 08 and 102 are threadably mounted to and extend outwardly from the bolts 94 and 96. By threading of the bolts 94 and 96 through the correspond ing nuts 93 and 95 (FIG. 5) which may be integral with the arms 98 and 102, the arms 98 and 102 are rotated laterally to engage the inner surfaces of the flanges 50 and 52 and to thereby hold the brackets 62 to the respective pole 10 or pole 12.

With a pair of spaced brackets 62 removably secured to each of the poles 10 and 12 and in .a suitable spaced relation to each other so that the pair of brackets 62 on each pole 10 or 12 are aligned, as indicated in FIG. 1, the cabinet 8 having four of the hook devices 64 mounted thereto may now be removably mounted between the poles 10 and 12.

Each of the four hook devices 64 carried by the cabinet 8 includes a body portion 104 which carries a mounting flange 106. The body portions 104 of a pair of the hook devices 64 .are seated in spaced complementarily shaped recesses formed in the side wall 32 as are the other pair of hook devices so seated in side wall 34 of the cabinet 8 as illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be ap preciated that the body portion 104 and flange :106 of each hook device 64 are snugly fitted in the corresponding recesses in the .wall 32 or 34, or, means, such as screws (not shown), may be employed to secure the hook devices 64 to the side walls of the cabinet 8.

Extending outwardly from its end opposite the mounting flange 106, the body portion 104 of each of the hook devices 64 (FIG. 3) carries a hook member 108 which comprises a [first L shaped flange which has one leg 108a extending at right angles to the body portion 104 and a second leg 10817 parallel to the body portion 104. At its outer end the first flange leg 106a carries a downwardly depending flange 110 which terminates in spaced relation to the leg 108!) of the first flange 108 which is connected to the body portion 104. The flange 1-10 and portion 108!) of the first flange 108 defines a space 1112 (FIG. 4) It will be observed from FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, that the first flange 10S and depending flange 110 are offset from the longitudinal axis of the body portion .104 and that the [first flange 108 and depending flange 11 10 are in the same plane.

As apears in FIGS. 2, 3, 5 and 6, the bracket projection 90 and flanges 76 and 78 cooperate with the adjacent surfaces of the pole -10 to define a second pair of side channels for receiving the hook member of one of the hook devices 64.

In FIG. 2 a hook device 64 is disclosed as disposed also in the side channels defined by the corresponding 4 flanges 70, '72, 76 and '78 of the bracket 62 which is carried by the pole 12.

It will be appreciated that a bracket 62 constructed in accordance with the present invention may have mounted thereto a hook device 64 which extends from either side -wall 32 or 34 of the cabinet 8 and that the same hook device 64 may be mounted to either wall 32 or 34 of the cabinet and be mountable to the bracket 62. In other words only a single type of bracket and a single type of hook device need be manufactured and stocked and such hook devices may be used interchangeably for mounting to either wall :32 or 34 of the cabinet 8 and may have their hook member disposed in the side channels defined by the pole and flanges 76 and 78 or the side channels 82 and 84 (FIG. 2).

In FIG. 6 there is disclosed a pair of cabinets 8, each having a hook device mounted thereto. The right hand cabinet 8, as viewed in FIG. 6, has its hook device 64 carrying the flanges 1055b and 110 disposed in the side channels defined by the pole 10 and flanges 76 and 78 of the bracket 62, whereas the left hand cabinet, as viewed in FIG. 6, has its flange-s 108b and 110 disposed in the side channels 82 and 84 of the same bracket 62.

in one method of mounting a cabinet 8 to the poles 10 and 12, the poles .10 and 12 are first mounted vertically between the floor 16 and ceiling 14 and in spaced relation. Pour brackets 62 are mounted to the poles 10 and .12, two brackets to each pole. The upper brackets on each pole are horizontally aligned to each other as are the lower brackets so aligned. Four hook devices are mounted to the side walls 32 and 34 of the cabinet 8, two to each wall 32 and 34 and in locations spaced according to the spacing of the brackets on the poles 10 and 12. It will be appreciated that the hook devices 64 may be previously mounted to the cabinet by the manufacturer or assembler of the cabinet 8. The hook devices 64 are each preferably mounted adjacent the rear wall 36 of the cabinet and each with the flange 110 thereof depending downwardly so that the opening of the space defined by the flange 1-10 and flange 10811 is adjacent the lower end of the mounted hook devices 64. The hook devices 64 as viewed in FIG. 2, extend outwardly from the outer surface of the corresponding wall 32 or 34. The cabinet is positioned between the poles 10 and 12 with the four hook devices 64 located above the corresponding brackets 62. The hook devices and depending flanges 110 are then moved downwardly with the cabinet so that the flanges 110 and 10% of brackets carried by the pole 10 engage the upper surfaces of the corresponding projections of the brackets 62 (FIG. 3), whereas the flange legs 108a of the hook devices 64 mounted to the brackets carried by the pole 12 engage the upper surfaces of the body portions 68 to terminate downward movement of the cabinet 8 and secure the cabinet to the poles 10 and 12. To remove the cabinet 8, the reverse of the method above described to mount the cabinet is followed. If the cabinet is not horizontally aligned or plumb between the poles .10 and 12, the misaligned bracket can be raised or lowered on the pole without requiring removal of the cabinet from the poles, to properly align the c-abinet 8.

It will be appreciated that there may be mounted between the floor 16 and ceiling .14 a third pole (not shown) which is in the same plane as the poles 10 and 1 2 whereby another cabinet 8 (FIG. 6) may be mounted by book devices 64 to brackets 62 carried by said third pole and by the same brackets 62 of one of the poles and 1 2, as appears in FIG. 6. Mounting of the second cabinet to the third pole and pole 10 may be accomplished by disposing the hook device flange 108b and depending flange 110 of the two hook devices carried by the wall 32 of the second cabinet 8 in the side channels 82 and 84 of the corresponding brackets 62 carried by pole 10 and by another pair of book devices carried by the side wall 32 of the other cabinet and a pair of brackets 62 carried by the third pole. A similar cabinet (not shown) may be mounted between another pole and pole 12, the flanges ltlSb and 110 of the hook devices of the Wall 32 (not shown) of the third cabinet being disposed in the side channels, defined by pole 12 and flanges re and 78 of the brackets carried by the pole 12, and thehook devices carried by the wall 34 of said third cabinet being mounted to brackets 62 carried by the fourth pole.

Although Various minor modifications and alterations of the present invention will be readily apparent to those versed in the art, it should be understood that what is desired to be embodied within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, are all such embodiments as reasonably and properly fall within the scope of the contribution to the art hereby made.

I claim:

1. A bracket and hook device assembly comprising: a bracket adapted for mounting to a structural support member including a body portion, a pair of laterally extending flanges carried in spaced relation on opposite sides of the body portion to define a pair of side channels, means carried by said body portion for mounting'the bracket to a structural support member, and a pair of hook devices adapted for removably mounting casings to said bracket, each of said hook devices including a body portion carrying on one side thereof means for mounting the device to a casing and carrying on the other side thereof a hook member extending from the surface of said other side, said hook member including a first flange extending outwardly from said other side of the body portion of the hook device and at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the body portion and including a depending flange carried adjacent the outer end of said first flange of said hook device parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body portion of the hook device, said body portion, said first flange and said depending flange of said hook device defining a space therebetween having a side opening for mounting the hook device to a bracket, one of said hook devices having its body portion and said depending flange disposed in said side channels of said bracket member, said bracket member means including a projection extending from the surface of the body portion of the bracket for spacing one of said bracket flanges from said structural support member, when mounted thereto, to thereby define a second pair of opposite channels with said one of said flanges of the bracket and the structural support member, the second hook device having its body portion and said depending flange disposed in said second pair of opposite side channels of said bracket.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first flange of each of said hook devices is in .a plane offset from the plane of the longitudinal axis of the corresponding body portion of the hook device and the corresponding depending flange of the hook device is located in the same plane .as the first flange of the hook device.

3. A bracket and hook device assembly for mounting a casing to a structural support member comprising: a bracket adapted .for mounting to said structural support member including a body portion, a first flange carried in lateral extension from one side of the body portion, and means for mounting said bracket to said structuralsupport member, said means being carried on the other side of the body portion, whereby said body portion spaces said first flange from said structural support member, when mounted thereto, to thereby define a pair of opposite side channels with said structural support member and said flange, a hook device adapted for mounting to said casing and including an oblong body portion carrying on one side thereof means including a flange extending radially from the surface of the oblong body portion for mounting the device to a casing and carrying on the other side thereof a hook member extending from the surface of said other side of the hook device, said hook member including a first flange extending outwardly from said other side of the body portion of said hook device and at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, a depending flange carried adjacent the outer end of said first flange of said hook member and parallel to the longi tudinal axis of said body portion of said hook device, said body portion of said hook device, said first flange and said depending flange defining a space therebetween having a side opening for mounting the hook device to said bracket, said body portion of said hook device and said depending flange being disposed in said opposite side channels of said bracket.

4. A bracket and hook device assembly for mounting a casing to a structural support member comprising: a'

bracket adapted for mounting to said structural support member including a body portion, a projection extending outwardly from the surface of said body portion of said bracket, at least one threaded member carried by the body portion of said bracket in threaded engagement with a structural support engaging arm having radial side flanges, said arm side flanges being adapted to engage said structural support member upon threading of said threaded member to thereby mount the bracket to said structural support member, a first flange carried in lateral extension from one side of the body portion, and means for mounting said bracket to said structural support member, said means being carried on the other side of the body portion, whereby said body portion spaces said first flange from said structural support member, when mounted thereto, to thereby define a pair of opposite side channels with said structural support member and said flange, a hook device adapted for mounting to said casing and including a body portion carrying on one side thereof means for mounting the device to a casing and carrying on the other side thereof a hook member extending from the surface of said other side of the hook device, said hook member including a first flange extending outwardly from said other side of the body portion of said hook device and at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, a depending flange carried adjacent the outer end of said first flange of said hook member and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body portion of said hook device, said body portion of said hook device, said first flange and said depending flange defining a space therebetween having .a side opening for mounting the hook device to said bracket, said body portion of said hook device and said depending flange being disposed in said opposite side channels of said bracket.

5. A bracket and hook device assembly comprising a bracket adapted for mounting to a structural support member including a body portion, a pair of laterally extending flanges carried in spaced relation on opposite sides of the body portion to define a pair of side channels, a projection extending from the surface of said body portion for spacing one oi said flanges of said bracket from said structural support member, when mounted thereto, to thereby define a second pair of opposite side channels with said one of said flanges of said bracket and the structural support member, and means carried by said body portion for mounting the bracket to a structural support member, and a hook device adapted for removably mounting a casing to said bracket, said hook device including a body portion carrying on one side thereof means for mounting the hook device to a casing and carrying on the other side thereof a hook member extending from the surface of said other side, said hook member including a first flange extending outwardly from said other side of the body portion of the hook device and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the hook device and a depending flange carried adjacent the outer end of said first flange of the hook device parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body portion of the hook device, said hook device body portion, said first flange and said depending flange of said hook device defining a space therebetween having a side opening for mounting the hook device to said bracket, said body portion and said depending flange of said hook device being disposed in said side channels of said bracket.

6. A bracket and hook assembly for mounting a casing and the like to a structural support member comprising: a hook including an oblong body portion having a central axis, said body having on one side thereof enlarged shoulder means at a right angle to said axis for engaging the casing on one side thereof, a slotted hook-shaped member extending from the surface of the other side of the casing including a flange having a pair of surfaces parallel to each other and to said central axis, at least one of said surfaces being more offset from said central axis than the other of said surfaces; and a bracket cooperable with said hook and said support member, said bracket having a second axis when assembled with said hook lying at a right angle to said central axis of said hook, at least two spaced apart neck portions of said bracket sized and shaped to be engageable with the slot in said hook-shaped member, and at least two spaced apart parallel shoulder surfaces of said bracket adapted to engage said pair of surdaces of said flange-s selectively in different relative positions with respect thereto, said shoulder surfaces lying in planes at right angles to said second axis, and removable fastening means for said bracket for securing the bracket to said structural support member.

7. An assembly substantially as set forth in claim 6, said enlarged shoulder means being a flange extending radially from the surface of said oblong body portion.

8. An assembly substantially as set forth in claim 6, said two parallel shoulder surfaces being on two spaced apart flange members.

9. An assembly substantially as set forth in claim 8, said tWo flange members providing at least one other parallel shoulder surface, each of said shoulder surfaces being adapted to engage said hook-shaped member to provide dilferent relative positions of assembly of the bracket and hook assembly.

10. An assembly substantially as set forth in claim 9, said neck portions of said hook being cooperable with the slot in said hook-shaped member in each position of assembly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 445,951 2/91 Hine 24-244 X 1,508,326 9/24 Hensley 1 X 1,509,845 9/24 Roby l8934 2,345,650 4/44 Attwood 248-244 X 2,448,213 8/48 Doonan 85-1 X 2,876,909 3/59 Sharp 2l1103 2,974,919 3/ 61 Brown 248223 3,039,727 6/62 Engel 248245 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

3. A BRACKET AND HOOK DEVICE ASSEMBLY FOR MOUNTING A CASING TO A STRUCTURAL SUPPORT MEMBER COMPRISING: A BRACKET ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING TO SAID STRUCTURAL SUPPORT MEMBER INCLUDING A BODY PORTION, A FIRST FLANGE CARRIED IN LATERAL EXTENSION FROM ONE SIDE OF THE BODY PORTION, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID BRACKET TO SAID STRUCTURAL SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID MEANS BEING CARRIED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BODY PORTION, WHEREBY SAID BODY PORTION SPACES SAID FIRST FLANGE FROM SAID STRUCTURAL SUPPORT MEMBER, WHEN MOUNTED THERETO, TO THEREBY DEFINE A PAIR OF OPPOSITE SIDE CHANNELS WITH SAID STRUCTURAL SUPPORT MEMBER AND SAID FLANGE, A HOOK DEVICE ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING TO SAID CASING AND INCLUDING AN OBLONG BODY PORTION CARRYING ON ONE SIDE THEREOF MEANS INCLUDING A FLANGE EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM THE SURFACE OF THE OBLONG BODY PORTION FOR MOUNTING THE DEVICE TO A CASING AND CARRYING ON THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF A HOOK MEMBER EXTENDING FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID OTHER SIDE OF THE HOOK DEVICE, SAID HOOK MEMBER INCLUDING A FIRST FLANGE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID OTHER SIDE OF THE 